Williams decided to go up strong instead, but Jabari Parker blocked the shot back into his hands.

Out of options, Williams pivoted 180 degrees and threw the ball out to a guard.

Williams, a highly touted 6-foot-7 sophomore, has yet to impose his will on the varsity level, but Parker won't always be standing in his way.

Considered next in a long line of great Wolverines from the moment he convinced his parents to send him to Simeon rather than De La Salle, Williams has the luxury of easing his way into the role.

And going toe-to-toe with the player he emulates every day.

"My eighth-grade year, I would watch Jabari highlights," Williams said. "Every move he would make I would try out during a game, and over the summer I would try to do what he does.

"Sometimes going up against him in practice is difficult, but I knew I was going to get better learning and playing behind Jabari and (current Marquette freshman) Steve Taylor. I'm just being a student of the game, and when my time comes, I'm going to be ready."

Williams, 15, isn't an only child, but his mother, Lolita Williams, thinks having sisters 8 and 13 years older than him had a similar effect.

"He's always kept to himself," she said.

His goal is to be the No. 1-ranked player in the country, but he didn't enter Simeon acting like he believes he's already there, which quickly endeared him to his teammates.

"We've been bringing him around us a lot," said senior Jaylon Tate, who will play for Illinois next year along with Nunn. "Me and Kendrick are together all the time, and we're trying to get him to come to Illinois."

Williams already has scholarship offers from Illinois, DePaul, SMU, Nebraska and Cal-Poly, but he wants to become a dominant high school player before he starts thinking about college.

There was talk last year that he would follow Parker as just the second Simeon freshman to see significant varsity action, but the three-time defending Class 4A champs had no need to rush him and no room in their rotation.

Considerably lighter than Parker was as a sophomore and perhaps not as accurate from 3-point range, they have more in common than humility.

Like Parker, Williams' biggest asset is his versatility. He's still more comfortable on the perimeter than in the lane, but he does almost everything well.

Williams is the Wolverines' sixth man this season, but coach Robert Smith said he will get "starters' minutes" because he can substitute for both guard and both forward spots.

He had 12 points and eight rebounds in Simeon's first and only game of the season, and his sparring partner is impressed.

"He pushes me just as hard as I push him," Parker said. "He is on that run of being one of next guys in Chicago, like Jahlil (Okafor of Young) is, and he is next in line. Me being on the team messes things up for him."